I'll give you the SEC West Division, which is a monster, but is the Big Ten Legends Division close behind? Maybe not by pure talent: Alabama is Alabama, for one, but the West also includes Texas A&M, LSU, Auburn and rapidly improving Mississippi.

And what of the Legends? Michigan is Michigan, a monster on the recruiting trail with the coaching and resources to be, as it has been for decades, an ever-present contender for the Rose Bowl and beyond. Nebraska is Nebraska. Michigan State's one-year blip was just that: a blip. Northwestern is set to enter the finest period in program history. At worst, Iowa is confusing – good one year, awful the next, mediocre the next; at best, the Hawkeyes are a BCS threat.

Then there's Minnesota. Think about this: Every year, Minnesota's quest for bowl eligibility goes through the Wolverines, Cornhuskers, Spartans, Wildcats and Hawkeyes – and sometimes, that quintet will be joined by Leaders Division teams like Wisconsin and Penn State. That'll happen sometimes. Like in 2013, for example.

For all of his supposed gifts on the recruiting trail, Tim Brewster certainly didn't leave Kill with anything close to a stacked deck. The dearth of overall talent is exacerbated by the team's continuous learning curve in Kill's system; more manageable growing pains will continue in 2012. Given that the Gophers ended last season well and are a better team in 2012, could this team squeeze into bowl play? I can see it happening. More likely, however, and as at Southern Illinois, Minnesota takes a step forward this fall before making its bowl run 12 months down the road. My prediction is no more than five wins, with no more than two coming during Big Ten play. Two wins after September would be outstanding, in fact.

2012 RECAP

— In a nutshell: Minnesota made a nice push back into the postseason in its second season under coach Jerry Kill, though the bowl berth came in decidedly Minnesota-like fashion: four non-conference wins, only one of consequence, and two measly and unimpressive wins against Big Ten competition. Did anyone care? Nope. Getting to six wins was the barometer for success heading into Kill's second year – so, in short, mission accomplished. The Gophers were improved across the board: Minnesota added just shy of six points to its scoring total and cut its per-game defensive scoring average by more than a touchdown. What was missing, however, was the defining win against the Big Ten's best. The Gophers lost to Wisconsin, Michigan and Nebraska by a combined score of 111-40.

— High point: A 17-13 win against Illinois on Nov. 10. There's nothing impressive about beating Illinois, of course – except that the victory was Minnesota's sixth, and bowl play, here we come.

— Low point: The losses to the better teams in Big Ten play. At some point, Minnesota needs to beat a conference foe with a pulse. More on that in a moment.

— Tidbit: Kill was the fifth modern-era Minnesota coach (since 1936) to win three or fewer games in his debut season with the program, joining Tim Brewster, Glen Mason, Jim Wacker and Wes Fesler. But Kill is also one of just four second-year coaches in the school's history to reach the postseason, along with Brewster, John Gutenkunst and Lou Holtz.

— Tidbit (recruiting edition): Kill's first class, compiled after he was hired in the winter of 2011, was ranked ninth in the Big Ten by Rivals.com. Each of his two full classes, in 2012 and 2013, were ranked last in the league by Rivals, however. Going by average star ranking – which I suppose is the best barometer of the quality of a signing class – Kill's 2011 class ranked ninth in the Big Ten, his 2012 group ranked last and this winter's class ranked 11th. The Gophers have not signed a four-star recruit under Kill, using Rivals' ratings, though Kill does a have a four-star verbal commitment in the class of 2014.

— Tidbit (Big Ten edition): I'm going to make a list of the Big Ten's top six programs, including the recent addition, and it's going to go a little something like this, in alphabetical order: Michigan, Michigan State, Nebraska, Ohio State, Penn State and Wisconsin. Minnesota has not beaten one of these six teams since topping Michigan State on Oct. 31, 2009. Since the start of the 2006 season, the Gophers are 2-25 against these six conference foes.

— Jerry Kill (Southwestern College '83), 9-16 after two seasons at Minnesota. The foundation is being laid, and those expecting a smooth debut should have known otherwise. But after leading Minnesota to the postseason last fall, it's obvious that Kill has the right system to fit the Gophers' personnel. But to take the next step – to go from six wins and a bare-bones bowl trip to the top half of the Legends Division – Kill needs to ramp up the Gophers' talent level to compete with opponents like Nebraska and Michigan.

Kill did a wonderful job replacing Joe Novak at Northern Illinois, which had slipped to 2-10 in the last of 12 seasons he spent as the face of the program. Kill led the Huskies to a four-win improvement in his first season, a year that saw NIU make significant strides on defense. Similar improvement came on offense, where the Huskies went from scoring 19.1 points per game in 2007 to 26.2 a year later. More of the same in 2009: Largely under the radar, NIU surpassed expectations in landing another bowl berth, giving the program two in as many years under Kill. Then came 2010, when Kill and the Huskies blew up – to ten wins, a program record for points in a season, a strong defense and, most of all, the type of mentality that will play well in the Big Ten.

Kill was hired by Northern Illinois after seven seasons at Southern Illinois (2001-7), where he compiled a 55-32 career record. The Salukis, who reached the FCS playoffs in each of his final five seasons, won three consecutive Gateway Conference championships (2003-5) and spent a total of 64 consecutive weeks ranked in the FCS top 20 from 2003-7. Pretty heady stuff, especially when considering SIU went 32-66 in the nine years prior to Kill's arrival. Success wasn't immediate for Kill either, as the team went 5-18 over his first two seasons, starting with a 1-10 finish in 2001. Prior to Southern Illinois, Kill served as the head coach at Emporia State (11-11 from 1999-2000) and Saginaw Valley State (38-14 from 1994-98). What does this mean? That Kill's familiar with building from the ground up. That'll come in handy.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

— Offense: Minnesota's offense will never win on talent – the same can be said for the entire team – but with a proven, established system; with substance over style, basically. You could see this entire group grow more comfortable in Kill's offense a year ago, when the Gophers increased their productivity nearly across the board despite landing some very, very average quarterback play. Here's a reason to like what's happening: Minnesota moved the football fairly well at times – not all the time, but sometimes – despite the lack of a solid passing game. What happens with the Gophers land stronger quarterback play? Then all the pieces will click, and Minnesota might be able to score some points against the Big Ten's best.

The offense's strongest unit is the offensive line, which is set to play the best football of its time under Kill thanks to some underrated young talent and added experience. The only concern is injuries: Ed Olson has been banged up, as have Zac Epping and Zach Motta, and getting back all three is vital as the Gophers prepare for fall camp. If all return to prior form, look for Olson, a senior, to start at left tackle; he'll bookend the line with sophomore Josh Campion, who may develop into something special in the next few seasons. When it comes to deciding the two-deep, Minnesota needs to settle on a rotation inside. There are tons of options, including experienced former starters like Epping, Motta, Marek Lenkiewicz and Caleb Bak and a newcomer like former Ohio State transfer Brian Bobek. The Gophers are in great shape up front.

This system and this offensive line will lead to production on the ground, but will it be good production? Case in point: Minnesota averaged 151.92 yards per game on the ground last season, seventh in the Big Ten, but was pathetic in short-yardage situations, lacking in explosive plays and nowhere to be found in the second half. Once again, the running game will roll through junior Donnell Kirkwood (925 yards), an absolutely irreplaceable piece who should be fresh as a daisy after being used sparingly during spring scrimmages. One bonus of Kirkwood's diminished workload is that it gave first-team touches to holdovers like sophomore Rodrick Williams Jr. (261 yards), junior David Cobb and senior James Gillum. Look out for incoming freshman Berkley Edwards, who could fit a role immediately as a change-of-pace speed back.

Sophomore quarterback Philip Nelson will be kept clean by this offensive front, especially with the line's two best, Olson and Campion, holding down the fort at tackle. It's all on Nelson: Minnesota – as noted earlier – will take a step forward offensively only if Nelson makes the second-year leap. Let's ignore his freshman totals, which were predictably awful, and let's look beyond his tentativeness and lack of confidence, as Nelson was thrown to the wolves in Big Ten play. Let's focus on the positives: Nelson is Minnesota's best passing prospect since Adam Weber; he's ahead of the learning curve thanks to his seven starts in 2012; he has a solid offensive line; he's familiar with this system; and Kill and the staff will do what they need to do in order to maintain Nelson's cool. While he won't hit his full stride until 2014, Nelson will give Minnesota improved production under center.

— Defense: So Minnesota can stop the run, as it did against Illinois and Nebraska, and it can stop the pass, as it did very well in 2012, but it can rarely do so at the same time – unless it was Illinois, I guess. There's reason to believe the Gophers' run defense will improve with a breakout star at defensive tackle, but the pass defense will remain impotent unless this defense can locate a pass rush. This is a concern after the Gophers lost end D.L. Wilhite; he led the team in sacks and hurries, and replacing that production lies atop the staff's list of priorities heading into August.

Senior tackle Ra'Shede Hageman (35 tackles, 6.0 sacks) seems to have discovered the motivation needed to parlay his nearly unlimited potential and physical gifts into an All-Big Ten season. Better late than never: Hageman has always been viewed as a star in the making, albeit one who needed to move beyond his youthful inconsistencies, and Minnesota needs his line-wreaking talents to come through in 2013. Having Hageman, junior Cameron Botticelli and sophomore Scott Ekpe inside will help loosen up Minnesota's ends to one-on-one situations, though it's on juniors Michael Amaefula (19 tackles, 2.5 sacks) and Ben Parry and sophomore Theiren Cockran to deliver on those opportunities. Is Hageman good enough to put an otherwise mediocre front on his shoulders? Well, he's got some pretty broad shoulders. Hageman is on the mind of every Big Ten defensive coordinator – and every Big Ten quarterback.

The linebacker corps will retool with the help of Minnesota's 2013 recruiting class, which included five linebacker recruits, two off the JUCO level. I wouldn't be surprised if that pair, Damien Wilson and De'Vondre Campbell, join holdover Aaron Hill (74 tackles, 2 interceptions), a senior, as Minnesota's three starters. This is especially true with Wilson, who enrolled early and drew praise from Kill and the staff. Wilson has the size to handle the middle; Hill is experienced on the strong side; and Campbell has the length to conceivably slot in on the weak side, though Minnesota won't know how he'll fit into the defense until fall camp. If not Campbell, the Gophers can turn the weak side over to senior James Manuel.

Whether Minnesota's secondary can take another big move forward depends on how well the staff replaces starting cornerback Troy Stoudermire and Michael Carter. Therefore, it makes sense that one of Minnesota's first decisions this offseason was to move junior Derrick Wells (74 tackles, 2 interceptions) outside from safety. Wells is one borderline all-conference contender in the secondary, joined by senior safety Brock Vereen (64 tackles, 2 interceptions); Vereen will help the Gophers' safeties survive Wells' move to cornerback. Opposite of Wells, look for Minnesota to turn to one or two of a trio of former JUCO transfers in Martez Shabazz, Briean Boddy and Jeremy Baltazer, with all three coming off get-your-feet-wet seasons in 2012. It would be great to get Vereen and junior Cedric Thompson (43 tackles) on the field at the same time, but I wonder how well the two will coexist in the starting lineup.

— Special teams: Two areas where Minnesota succeeded in 2012 were on kickoff returns and on kickoffs. Unfortunately, the Gophers lose their leading returner, Stoudermire, and kickoff specialist Jordan Wettstein. Losing the latter isn't a really tough blow at kicker, since senior Chris Hawthorne has started for the Gophers in the past. Replacing Stoudermire, one of the most prolific kickoff returners in FBS history, is going to exponentially more difficult. With these losses, don't look for a major improvement – if any improvement, if not a decline – upon last year's overall mediocre results on special teams.

POSITION(S) TO WATCH

— Wide receivers: The cupboard isn't bare at wide receiver – I mean, there are players in there and everything – but Minnesota's lack of talented options is the offense's Achilles heel. What do the Gophers return? Not much: senior Derrick Engel (18 receptions for 375 yards), junior Isaac Fruechte (18 for 256), junior Devin Crawford-Tufts (16 for 189) and redshirt freshman Jamel Harbison. Beyond that, the Gophers are looking at two incoming freshmen, another handful of unproven holdovers – a few walk-ons included – and tight ends Drew Goodger and Lincoln Plsek to round out the rotation. This group is the weakest in the Big Ten; even Illinois has Ryan Lankford, for example. How are Nelson and this passing game going to develop without any receivers capable of striking fear into Big Ten defensive backs? I'm not sure, to be honest. What Minnesota hopes is that quantity offsets quality: Engle and Fruechte are experienced, Crawford-Tufts is blessed with some physical gifts and Harbison can hopefully rebound from a knee injury to play major minutes, so perhaps the Gophers can cobble together some numbers with a by-committee approach.

GAME(S) TO WATCH

— Iowa: Minnesota should be 4-0 heading into Big Ten play, though I can't seem to forget last year's triple-overtime win over UNLV – so while 4-0 is expected, it's far from guaranteed. The season comes down to Iowa, the Gophers' league opener. A win against the Hawkeyes guarantees a bowl game. A loss means Minnesota would need two wins from games at Michigan, Northwestern, Indiana and Michigan State, and home games against Nebraska, Penn State and Wisconsin. That would not be a good situation. Iowa decides the season.

SEASON BREAKDOWN & PREDICTION

— In a nutshell: As noted in the opening, the Legends Division is one of the two toughest leagues in the FBS – and in terms of evenness, depth and the ability for any one of four teams to win the league, the Legends stands above the rest. With Michigan, Nebraska, Northwestern and Michigan State leading the charge, where does that leave the Gophers? In between a rock and a hard place: Minnesota can't afford any slipups in its chase for six wins, as any one Saturday of lackluster effort will prevent this team from notching its second postseason berth in a row.

Oversimplified: Someone needs to lose games in the Legends – because you can't have six teams at 5-3 or better, obviously. To me, after looking at all six teams, Minnesota has the narrowest room for error; Iowa is well within striking distance, but the Hawkeyes seem more firm, if only somewhat, heading into fall camp. To move off the balancing beam, Minnesota needs a fairly error-free season from Nelson, a backup running back behind Kirkwood, improved play from a questionable receiver corps, a pass rush from the front four and the two JUCO transfers to beef up the back seven. These are serious issues that can't be ignored; they stand out when compared to the rest of the division.

In Minnesota's corner stand this helpful schedule – four winnable games in September, Iowa at home – this solid and overlooked coaching staff and the knowledge that comes with spending another offseason in Kill's system. Again, it all comes down to Iowa: Win that game, get to six or more wins. Reaching six wins with a loss at home to the Hawkeyes is going to be tough, if doable.

— Dream season: Minnesota starts 5-0 and wins three of four to end the regular season.

— Nightmare season: The Gophers lose to San Jose State and the every Big Ten opponent but Indiana.

— All-name team nominee: DE Cameron Botticelli.

UP NEXT

— Who is No. 76?This university featured the only college coach outside the Dakotas with a last name beginning with two vowels to win more than 230 games.

125: Georgia State - Georgia State joins the Sun Belt Conference as the newest member of the Football Bowl Subdivision. The team is led by former Indiana State coach Trent Miles, who knows a thing or two about massive rebuilding projects, but the Panthers are several years away from competing for bowl eligibility. (Photo: Jim Avelis, AP)

124: Massachusetts - After going 1-11 in 2012, its first season in the Football Bowl Subdivision, UMass enters year two under Charley Molnar with little hope of any major improvement against another difficult schedule. The Minutemen are just a hair behind Akron for last place in the Mid-American Conference East Division. (Photo: Mark L. Baer, USA TODAY Sports)

123: Idaho - After being part of the since-disintegrated Western Athletic Conference, the Vandals will spend one season as a Football Bowl Subdivision independent before joining the Sun Belt Conference in 2014. It won’t be pretty: Idaho will play Northern Illinois, Fresno State, Mississippi and Florida State, among others. (Photo: Kyle Mills, AP)

122: South Alabama - The Jaguars went 2-11 as first-year members of the Sun Belt Conference in 2012, and that record won’t improve dramatically unless the offense fixes the missteps that defined last season. While coach Joey Jones has assembled some talent, South Alabama is still too inexperienced to be a real threat for more than three or four wins. (Photo: Mark Dolejs, USA TODAY Sports)

121: New Mexico State. Previous coach DeWayne Walker left on his own accord after compiling a 10-40 record from 2009-2012, taking an assistant position with the Jacksonville Jaguars on Jan. 24, less than two weeks before national signing day. Walker's replacement, Doug Martin, has two things Walker did not when he took over late in 2008: FBS coaching experience (seven seasons at Kent State) and experience in Las Cruces (2011 as the Aggies' offensive coordinator). (Photo: Jim Avelis, AP)

120: Akron - The Zips proved they could move the football last season, the program’s first under former Auburn coach Terry Bowden, but having a stronger offense didn’t prevent Akron from going 0-11 against Football Bowl Subdivision opposition. A year later, Akron remains far too undermanned to make any waves in the Mid-American Conference. (Photo: Robert Mayer, USA TODAY Sports)

119: Texas at San Antonio - The youngest program in college football, UTSA quickly moved from the Sun Belt Conference to Conference USA. The issue with such rapid growth is that it will force the Roadrunners to play beyond their years, and this team seems too inexperienced to handle the increased level of competition found in Conference USA. (Photo: Eric Gay, Associated Press)

118: Florida International - After spending several years building to the point where it could reach back-to-back bowl games, as Florida International did from 2010-11, FIU is back to square one under new coach Ron Turner. The Golden Panthers are entering the first stage of what should be a long and painful rebuilding project. (Photo: Robert Mayer, USA TODAY Sports)

117: Eastern Michigan - Eastern Michigan is again out to prove its 6-6 finish in 2011 – the program’s lone six-win season since 1995 – was not a fluke. That seemed to be the case last fall, when the Eagles stumbled back to 2-10, the program’s third 10-loss season in four tries under coach Ron English. Confidence is not high in Ypsilanti. (Photo: Rob Christy, USA TODAY Sports)

116: Memphis - The Tigers made some strides last season, winning four games under coach Justin Fuente, but will be tested by the tougher level of competition in the American Athletic Conference. While the program has clearly improved, 2013 should again find Memphis at the bottom of the conference standings. (Photo: Nelson Chenault, USA TODAY Sports)

115: Colorado - It can only get better than it was a year ago, if only because things couldn’t possibly get worse. Colorado begins a new era under former San Jose State coach Mike MacIntyre with full knowledge of the difficult road that lies ahead. At the very least, CU knows it is now pointed in the right direction. (Photo: David Zalubowski, AP)

114: UNLV. It's been 13 years since UNLV posted a winning season. The program is mired in a stretch of five seasons of 10 or more losses in the past seven years, with the last three coming under coach Bobby Hauck. (Photo: Bradley Leeb, USA TODAY Sports)

113: North Texas leaves the Sun Belt Conference to join Conference USA in 2013. Will a change in scenery lead to a change in the standings? The Mean Green have been better under coach Dan McCarney, winning nine games over the last two seasons, but this team won’t go anywhere unless it can find some much-needed explosiveness on offense. (Photo: Scott Sewell, USA TODAY Sports)

112: After nine seasons under Mike Price, UTEP welcomes back former assistant Sean Kugler as its new coach in 2013. Kugler has some weapons to work with, including a high-profile addition in Texas A,M transfer Jameill Showers at quarterback, but it will take time for him to reverse UTEP’s losing ways. (Photo: Rudy Gutierrez, AP)

111: Florida Atlantic -- The team's quest to bolster its fundraising coffers by offering up the naming rights to its new stadium hit a snag after the university student body and surrounding community quickly soured on a deal with GEO Group, a for-profit prison operator with a history of fines, investigations and violations. (Photo: Photo courtesy of Florida Atlantic University)

110: Illinois -- Bruised and battered Illinois lacks confidence, as one might expect after the Illini won only a single game against Football Bowl Subdivision opposition during the program's first season under former Toledo coach Tim Beckman. Illinois also lacks an offense, a defense and an identity. (Photo: Rudy Gutierrez, AP)

108: New Mexico -- Four wins is cause for celebration at New Mexico, which went 3-33 from 2009-11 but finished 4-9 in 2012, its first season under former Notre Dame coach Bob Davie. The Lobos may be stuck in neutral while Davie and his staff add talent and depth to a depleted roster, likely leading to another season with four or fewer wins, but the program has found a run-first formula to hang with stronger opponents during Mountain West Conference play. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

107: Colorado State -- This team enters year two of its rebuilding process under coach Jim McElwain, who learned a thing or two about building a winner as the former offensive coordinator under Nick Saban at Alabama. The Rams’ issues in 2013 circle around an offense that remains in flux while it acclimates itself into McElwain’s pro-style scheme. A tough schedule will send CSU to another losing season. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

106: Army. Army exceeded expectations once, in 2010, creating both a remarkably pleasing individual season while increasing the belief that the Cadets and coach Rich Ellerson could do so again. Unfortunately, Army has since slid back to successive losing seasons, with last year ending in a nightmare: Trailing by four points with little more than a minute left, the Cadets fumbled the ball away deep inside Navy territory to again lose to their academy rival. (Photo: Jim Avelis, AP)

105: Hawaii -- Former USC offensive coordinator Norm Chow has painfully reworked Hawaii’s offense away from a pass-happy system into his pro-style scheme. Results thus far have been decidedly mixed. For now, the Rainbow Warriors will continue to lean on a defense with some speed and talent on the edge while the offense finds its form with a new starting quarterback, junior Taylor Graham. Hawaii is at least one full season away from competing for a bowl bid. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

104: Texas State -- The Bobcats won four games last fall, the program’s first as a member of the Football Bowl Subdivision. This season finds Texas State in the Sun Belt Conference, an offensively prolific league that will test one of the nation’s worst defenses. But the Bobcats are very hopeful that FBS transfers like D.J. Yendrey and Mike Orakpo can give this defense some much-needed experience, production and aggressiveness. (Photo: L. Scott Mann AP)

103: Miami (Ohio) -- Miami has lost at least eight games in four of the last seasons and has been outscored in each of the last seven seasons, two facts that illustrate the RedHawks’ current rut. Will things change in 2013? Third-year coach Don Treadwell’s group faces holes at quarterback, running back and wide receiver, so the defense will need to carry the load against a fairly easy schedule should Miami look to reach the postseason. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

102: Central Michigan -- The Chippewas reached a bowl game last season by beating the bad teams on the schedule. Despite winning seven games, the gap between Central Michigan and MAC frontrunners like Northern Illinois, Toledo and Ball State remained immense. In terms of personnel, CMU needs to replace a multiple-year starter at quarterback and left tackle Eric Fisher, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2013 NFL draft. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

101: Kentucky -- Welcome to the new era of Kentucky football, revel in this new-car smell, because things have changed: Mark Stoops, the former defensive coordinator at Florida State, has altered the very way Kentucky views itself in the SEC pecking order. Not to mention Kentucky's own pecking order: The basketball team struggled this year, so there might be a power void at the top. Kentucky drew 50,831 fans to its spring game, or more than the Wildcats drew for any two home games from October on, judging by the pictures. Kentucky has reeled in more four-star recruits since December than at any point over the previous decade – combined, or just about. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

100: Boston College -- The Eagles have sat and watched as their consistency, a hallmark of the program for the first decade of the new millennium, has crumbled to become nonexistent. New Boston College coach Steve Addazio's first task will be remaking the Eagles' broken sense of self-worth. If not the easiest first step, at least Addazio can tackle the task without worrying about teams like USC, Florida State and Clemson, three of Boston College's opponents over the first half of 2013. Wins and losses matter less than player development. (Photo: Jim Cowser, USA TODAY Sports)

99: SMU -- Last year's team was better than its 7-6 record might indicate, particularly in terms of personnel. The Mustangs had a five-star transfer from Texas at quarterback, a two-time 1,000-yard rusher in the backfield, a 1,000-yard receiver, a strong defensive line, an outstanding linebacker corps and a ball-hawking secondary. Yet the Mustangs still failed to beat any opponent of consequence outside of Tulsa, going 1-5 during the regular season against eventual bowl teams. (Photo: Jim Cowser, USA TODAY Sports)

98: Western Michigan -- To properly understand where P.J. Fleck is coming from you need to sit down and watch him explain his new team's Nekton Mentality, Prefontaine Pace and Farmers' Alliance. These are things, real things, and to Fleck, they are what will separate Western Michigan from the rest of the MAC – actually, according to Fleck, they will ultimately separate the Broncos from the rest of college football. (Photo: Marilyn Indahl, USA TODAY Sports)

97: Troy -- Once a Sun Belt Conference power, Troy has ceded the top spot to conference rivals like Arkansas State, Louisiana-Lafayette, Western Kentucky and Louisiana-Lafayette over the last two seasons. Getting back to the postseason might be difficult: Troy returns only seven starters, the second-fewest of any team in the country, and lacks depth on each side of the ball. (Photo: Jim Brown, US Presswire)

96: Kansas -- The opening season in the Charlie Weis era at Kansas went poorly, with a 1-11 mark and a last-place finish in the Big 12. The five-year plan enters year two now: will it be baby steps, befitting Kansas' recent run as the nation's worst automatic-qualifying program, or will the Jayhawks break through the ceiling and challenge for a bowl berth in the brutal Big 12? (Photo: Mike DiNovo, US Presswire)

95: California -- Jeff Tedford, who coached California for the previous 11 seasons, is gone. In his place, former Louisiana coach Sonny Dykes is the latest offensive innovator to take the reins of a Pac-12 program since 2009. What does this say about California, Dykes and the North? It says that offense is in vogue throughout the division, helping present the Pac-12 as the flip-side to the SEC's defense-first mentality. (Photo: Kelley L Cox, USA TODAY Sports)

94: Rice -- Rice rode an explosive offense to a bowl game in 2012, defeating the Air Force Falcons in the Armed Forces Bowl. Can that explosive attack continue to help cover up a woeful defense (Rice has now allowed at least 48 points in a game 35 times since the start of the 2000 season) not only for this campaign, but beyond? (Photo: Tim Heitman, USA TODAY Sports)

No. 93: Washington State -- In their second year under coach Mike Leach, can the Cougars reverse their string of losing at least eight games in the last five seasons? Only one other Pac-12 school has suffered as many eight-loss seasons in a row: Oregon State lost eight or more games in each season from 1979-87. (Photo: Allen Henry, USA TODAY Sports)

No. 92: Connecticut -- As always, the Huskies are strong on defense but weak on offense. In the past six seasons, UConn quarterbacks have combined to throw 69 touchdowns against 72 interceptions while averaging 185.67 yards per game. Over the same span, the Huskies' defense has allowed 91 passing touchdowns against 97 interceptions while holding opposing quarterbacks to an average of 218.39 yards per game. (Photo: David Butler II, USA TODAY Sports)

No. 91: UAB -- The Blazers and second year head coach Garrick McGee are trending up, with young talent on both sides of the ball. However, despite their relatively weak conference, UAB looks to still be a year away from reaching a bowl game. (Photo: Marvin Gentry, US Presswire)

90: Wyoming -- The Cowboys have won 15 games in the past three years, with most coming in an eight-win finish in 2011. Three have come against Football Championship Subdivision competition. Three have come against Colorado State – a combined 10-26 since 2010. Of Wyoming's 15 wins since 2010, only three have come against winning teams: Toledo in 2010 and San Diego State and Air Force in 2011. Every other defeated opponent ended the season with seven or more losses. So what is Wyoming going to do when there are no more easy wins – when its MWC schedule is loaded with teams with realistic bowl hopes? (Photo: Brendan Maloney, US PRESSWIRE)

89: Purdue -- The Boilermakers have a new coach in Darrell Hazell, who won 11 games at Kent State last season with a unique system of steps that he is proud to call his own. In specific, Hazell's blueprint worked for Kent State. But his plan is universal: It'll work everywhere, whether we're talking Kent State, Purdue or Ohio State, should Hazell slide into the Buckeyes' plans at some point in the future. The Boilermakers will win with what they've got and feel good doing so. Just not from the start, perhaps. (Photo: Byron Hetzler, USA TODAY Sports)

88: Temple -- Temple went back into its past to nab a replacement for Boston College-bound Steve Addazio. It shied away from the years prior to 2006, when Al Golden stepped in and reversed the program's fate, and opted for one of Golden's chief lieutenants in ex-offensive coordinator Matt Rhule. Rhule's return spells a move back to Temple's recent glory days, when the offense was pro-style, the defense aggressive and the team worked as one cohesive unit. Those were good times. Rhule will bring 'em back. (Photo: Howard Smith, USA TODAY Sports)

87: Iowa State -- Never before has Iowa State football had this level of fan support. What's not to like? The fan base admires the work coach Paul Rhoads and his staff have put into creating a consistent Big 12 presence, albeit one that typically sneaks into bowl play with six wins, hovering along the league's bottom third. The typically undermanned Cyclones are overachievers, basically. But here's a question: Once you overachieve once, twice, three times, aren't you simply achieving? (Photo: Peter G. Aiken, USA TODAY Sports)

86: Duke -- Duke is looking to return to bowl play after winning six games in 2012. To do that and reach the postseason, Duke must find consistent play from new quarterback Anthony Boone. Duke will look to a more balanced offense to move the ball against ACC competition. (Photo: Mark Dolejs, USA TODAY Sports)

85: Kent State -- Led by electric running back Dri Archer, Kent State will try to stay at a high level of achievement after an 11-3 season despite losing their coach to Purdue in the offseason. Prior to last season, Kent State was the lone FBS program with roots in the 20th century with a career winning percentage below .400 – it stood at .388, to be precise. Prior to last season, Kent State had not won more than six games since 1987. Prior to last season, Kent State was mired in a run of 32 non-winning seasons in 34 years. Then, last season, The Flashes came within a whisper of the Bowl Championship Series, believe it or not, and would have been the underdog story to end all underdog stories. (Photo: Crystal LoGiudice, USA TODAY Sports)

84: Pittsburgh --Pitt's defense is good enough to carry this team. But to say that the Panthers can win six or more games without a strong offense would be misleading – and this offense has some major holes to address before getting started against Florida State in early September. (Photo: Tim Heitman, USA TODAY Sports)

83: Arkansas -- After a disastrous 2012 campaign following the summer departure of Bobby Petrino, the once-proud Razorbacks will try to get back in to bowl contention in the stacked Southeastern Conference. Coach Bret Bielema will bring a taste of the Big Ten to the SEC, turning Arkansas' finesse style into a punishing, physical team worthy of rolling in the mud with perennial powers like Alabama, Florida and LSU. (Photo: Jeff Blake, USA TODAY Sports)

82: Southern Mississippi -- After an 0-12 season, the Golden Eagles had no choice but to dismiss their coach and hire former Oklahoma State offensive coordinator Todd Monken to replace him. Like Larry Fedora before him, brings sterling offensive credentials to Hattiesburg. But unlike Johnson, who took over a 12-win team, Monken inherits a winless group struggling to relocate its confidence. USM can take some solace in the fact it can't get any worse. (Photo: Tim Heitman, USA TODAY Sports)

81: Syracuse - New coach Scott Shafer still has his hands full tutoring a fairly inexperienced team – the Orange return only 11 starters – in a new league, a more competitive ACC. (Photo: Rich Barnes, USA TODAY Sports)

80: South Florida -- Coming off a 3-9 season, USF hired Willie Taggart as head coach. South Florida is one of five American Athletic Conference holdovers from the old Big East, not counting Temple, which joined the Big East as the league entered its death throes in 2012. Of the five, USF joins Rutgers as the lone programs to have not reached the Bowl Championship Series. (Photo: Daniel Wallace, AP)

79: Middle Tennessee State --What team shows up in 2013? Perhaps the eight-win squad of 2012, or the 10-win team of 2009, or the bowl team of 2010. Or will it be the 10-loss team of 2011, as disappointing a non-automatically qualifying group in the country? (Photo: Kevin Liles, USA TODAY Sports)

78: Virginia --UVa has plus-talent at quarterback, running back, receiver and all throughout the defense, with the only issue for 2013 being that nearly every meaningful contributor stands a season away from a breakthrough. (Photo: Kevin Liles, USA TODAY Sports)

77: Minnesota --Think about this: Every year, Minnesota's quest for bowl eligibility goes through the Wolverines, Cornhuskers, Spartans, Wildcats and Hawkeyes – and sometimes, that quintet will be joined by Leaders Division teams like Wisconsin and Penn State. That'll happen sometimes. Like in 2013, for example. (Photo: Jesse Johnson, USA TODAY Sports)

75: Western Kentucky --There's a blindingly bright future at WKU, even if it's hard to predict just how long Petrino remains with the program before a win-hungry power comes calling. To get to the next level, however, Petrino needs to develop personnel on offense to fit his foolproof system. (Photo: Nathan Morgan/Daily News, AP)

74: Buffalo -- Coach Jeff Quinn has done a great job developing talent, as Buffalo won three of its last four games. The arrow is pointing up for this squad, which could reach a bowl game this year. The running game will continue to go through Branden Oliver (pictured), one of the MAC's best backs. (Photo: Nathan Morgan/Daily News, AP)

73. Indiana - The Hoosiers enter this season a confident group, having won four games under Kevin Wilson last fall. He has developed the team's offense into one of the most potent in the Big Ten. To take the next step, Indiana will need to build more depth on the defensive side. (Photo: Nathan Morgan/Daily News, AP)

72. Wake Forest: The Demon Deacons are loaded with seniors and several underclassmen set for larger roles. They should challenge for six wins with coach Jim Grobe thanks to a strong offense, which will be more run-based, and increased depth. (Photo: Chuck Burton, AP)

71. Houston: After 17 seasons with Conference USA, Houston joins the American. It hopes to rejoin the postseason after going 5-7 last season. Dave Piland must step up at quarterback and the defensive-line interior needs to be rebuilt. (Photo: Troy Taormina, USA TODAY Sports)

70. San Jose State: The Spartans won the Military Bowl last season, finishing an impressive campaign in which they went 11-2 and earned a national ranking in both polls. Even with one of the nation's best quarterbacks in David Fales (No.1), new coach Ron Caragher and his staff has their hands full fixing the defense. (Photo: Troy Taormina, USA TODAY Sports)

69. Iowa: The Hawkeyes look to rebound after going 4-8 a season ago. Coach Kirk Ferentz will have to find a new quarterback to replace replace James Vandenberg. Their postseason hopes will ride on a strong backfield and and offensive line. (Photo: Charlie Neibergall, AP)

67. Air Force: Are there negative signs? I'd say so. But are they reasons for concern? No, not really. Though Air Force has been trending downward the last two years – 13-13 combined since the start of the 2011 season – the Falcons have, to be fair, lost four games by single digits. It was only two years ago that Air Force scored 454 points, the fourth-highest total in school history – so the offense isn't broken. Likewise, the Falcons' 2011 defense ranked third in the Mountain West Conference in yards allowed per game. So what happened last season? The Falcons struggled. It happens. (Photo: Tim Heitman, USA TODAY Sports)

66. Maryland: The Terps enter Year 3 under Randy Edsall with serious bowl expectations. Maryland will have increased depth and will land markedly improved production at quarterback, with C.J. Brown (pictured) healthy. To ensure six wins, Maryland must address some personnel issues on the defensive side of the ball (Photo: Patrick Semansky, AP)

65. Louisiana-Monroe: ULM had its first breakthrough as a member of the FBS last season, winning eight games. The Warhawks return 17 starters altogether, with eight on offense (including dual-threat QB Kolton Browning) and nine on defense. ULM is easily one of the top three teams in the Sun Belt Conference and a bowl favorite. (Photo: Patrick Semansky, AP)

64. Mississippi State: The Bulldogs have reached three bowl games in a row under coach Dan Mullen. Last season ended poorly for the Bulldogs, with four losses in five games after a 7-0 start. To rebound, MSU needs to land more consistent quarterback play and replace two cornerbacks (Photo: Patrick Semansky, AP)

63. Louisiana Tech: After a nine win season that amazingly did not earn them a postseason bid, Louisiana Tech is aiming to keep up their success from last season behind a truly explosive offense. In order to get a BCS bid, which is a possibility if they play their cards right, they must hold serve against weak WAC opponents. (Photo: Soobum Im, USA TODAY Sports)

62. Tennessee: Tennessee was a few first downs, a third-down conversion, a fourth-down stop, a two-point conversion and an errant pass away from reaching bowl eligibility last fall, the program's third year under ex-coach Derek Dooley. But now Dooley is gone after he failed to make a Bowl game, and in his stead is hot new coach Butch Jones. (Photo: Randy Sartin, USA TODAY Sports)

61. Utah: Utah didn't bite off more than it could chew in joining the Pac-12, though the record might suggest otherwise: After going 33-6 in its final three years in the Mountain West Conference, Utah has slid to 13-12 in its new league – finishing outside of bowl eligibility last fall, a program-first since the pre-Urban Meyer period. The Utes have moved away from their winning tradition somewhat in recent years, but are looking to get back there on the back of a good offense. (Photo: Ron Chenoy, USA TODAY Sports)

60. Navy: Okay, so the Midshipmen beat Army again last season. There's a word for Navy's run of success in the chase for the Commander-in-Chief's Trophy: Domination. The Midshipmen have won eight of the past 10 trophies, losing out to Air Force in 2010 and 2011. Last season's sweep – wins against both Army and Air Force – marked the program's eighth double-dip since 2003. But the gap among the armed forces academies might be closing pretty quickly. Just don't tell these Midshipmen. (Photo: Danny Wild, USA TODAY Sports)

59: Utah State: Utah State came this close to a perfect regular season in 2012, as a missed field goal against BYU sunk their BCS chances. They lost their two games by a combined five points. Then there are the 11 wins, eight coming by 22 or more points. USU was quite easily one of college football's best teams of 2012, one separated from greater glory by only the slimmest of margins. (Photo: Douglas C. Pizac, USA TODAY Sports)

58. Missouri: The Tigers really struggled in their first season in the SEC, not making a bowl game for the first time since 2004. That's to be expected moving in to the most powerful conference in college football if you don't have a Heisman-winning quarterback, so we can cut Mizzou some slack. They will show improvement this season. (Photo: Dak Dillon, USA TODAY Sports)

57. West Virginia: West Virginia looks for a vastly improved defense to team with an offense that should remain among the Big 12's best despite changes at quarterback, wide receiver and offensive guard. The Mountaineers started 5-0 in 2012, rising as high as No. 4 in the polls, before losing six of eight to end the season. (Photo: Rob Christy, USA TODAY Sports)

56. Auburn - After a disastrous 3-9 (0-8 SEC) season, Auburn finally fired Gene Chizik and brought former offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn in to head the program. It was an amazing fall for the Tigers, who won a national championship and went undefeated in 2010-11. Now, Auburn must start virtually from scratch, but have brought in some talented recruits that may help ease the transition. (Photo: John Reed, USA TODAY Sports)

55. Arkansas State - The Red Wolves won the GoDaddy.com Bowl last year, but now have their fourth new head coach in the last four seasons. But ASU is at the front of the Sun Belt conference and should continue to make the postseason and win games once they get there. (Photo: Crystal LoGiudice, USA TODAY Sports)

54. Rutgers: Give Rutgers coach Kyle Flood credit for many things, including his nine-win debut as Greg Schiano's replacement, but let's focus on one achievement in particular: Flood and Rutgers have recruited as well as any team in the Big East – and the American Athletic Conference, now that it's 2013. They're not Louisville in terms of quality, but the Scarlet Knights will almost certainly make a bowl game. (Photo: Douglas Jones, USA TODAY Sports)

53. North Carolina State: After a seven-win season, the Wolfpack has a new coach in former Northern Illinois head man Dave Doeren. After some good results and bad results over the tenure of Tom O'Brien, the pack is ready to move away from average overall results and try and move to the top of the ACC. (Photo: Bob Donnan, USA TODAY Sports)

52. Bowling Green. Bowling Green: The Falcons’ defense will remain the best in the Mid-American Conference despite losing two all-conference starters. Bowling Green’s biggest concern is quarterback play, where senior Matt Schilz’s disappointing 2012 season has led coach Dave Clawson to create a quarterback competition. If the offense doesn’t improve, Bowling Green could top out at seven wins and a second-place finish in the East Division. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)

51. Arizona: After a tremendous debut, coach Rich Rodriguez will need to cobble together an offense without last year’s starting quarterback and top receiver. While the offensive line and running game remain strong, Arizona’s defense is not to the point where it can slow down many opponents during Pac-12 play. The Wildcats will return to the postseason, but the team might struggle in September as it transitions to a new cast on offense. (Photo: USA TODAY Sports)